Little Did She Know
by Shinra-ex-SOLDIER
Summary: There were times when Eri thought she didn't know Shiki's friends. A series of oneshots revolving upon the main players. No pairings. Characters: Eri, Neku, Beat, Rhyme, Joshua, Shiki. Post-game. Spoilers, kinda. Complete extra chapter.
1. Clothes are a Necessity

**Clothes are a Necessity**

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

"This thing's in season again?"

It was only due to unforeseen circumstances that Eri had found herself in a Lapin Angelique shop with Neku. Only. In her mind, she thought she'd have to tie him down for his complaining mouth but remarkably, he's been quiet all the time. Usually, when they went shopping like at 104, he'd be grumbling and whining all about it like a kid. But now he's just… there. He's being unusually calm all about this. It was eerie.

So when Neku finally spoke up, she thought that he'd have some snarky complaint he'd been wracking his brain off all the time. Never in a thousand years would she have thought that he would even try to be a fashion critic. And most certainly not of the LA threads. Aren't these mostly for the gothic lolitas? Okay, maybe not lolitas but just the gothic people. Sure, Neku can be depressing and detached but, really? Gothic?

"I don't even get how people could mistake this torture device for a jacket." He grimaced as the memory unfortunately flashed through his eyes. Never again.

"Sounds like a good story." She pretended she was the least bit curious.

He pretended he didn't care. "More like a horrible memory. Tried this _thing _once because it was in. The threads _suck._"

Eri gasped at his audacity. Either he really didn't care if anyone heard him in enemy territory or he was really stupid. Thankfully, the employees and other customers were out of earshot. "Are you out of your mind? Keep it down!"

He blatantly ignored her and bashed on. "Sure it covers skin but it ain't exactly the most comfortable out of the hanger. If I had more cash back then I would've bought this other one." He held a Double-breasted Suit to his liking. "It's lighter and lasts longer. Not to mention the design's better. Not really that much of an improvement in functionality."

A fashion critique on not just one but _two _LA branded clothes? Did she miss the memo of the end of the world? "Okay, what gives? Did Shiki set you up to prank me?"

"You lost me." He tossed the offensive clothing back where it came from. He hoped it would stay there.

"You're talkative today. You do know that, right?" She chirped.

"Yeah. Guy doesn't talk and guy gets hated for it. Guy does talk and still guy gets hated for it." He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Girls."

"Well, sorry." In hindsight, at least he chose that as a reference. Had he pulled out a Cape then that would be the green light for the end of the universe. "Still, wearing this takes some guts. Didn't think you were brave enough." She added thought fully.

"It took me a while to get some." And then his scowl deepened. "Wish I hadn't. It wasn't worth it."

Wearing it wasn't healthy. Literally. It felt heavier than it looked. It also didn't boost his defense or attack nor did it have any special effect when he wore it. Talk about total waste of yen. But the fact remained that he wore it once. And maybe, despite all its flaws, its popularity had an effect in his battles. And maybe, it may have indirectly saved his life. But even so, it was still a crappy outfit.

"Alright, you proved your point." She sighed. She should have never walked into that. Could his voice get any louder? "But I still don't see why you're making a big deal over an Asymmetric Jersey."

His eye twitched.

"Try hitting a penguin (noise) while wearing it."

That's it? She expected a better reason than that. Obviously, he was still an amateur in this whole critique business… "Wait. What?"

Did he just say penguin? What does that even mean?

"Nothing." Facepalm. Note to Neku: you did not make any sense. At all. He forgot that he was with Eri not Shiki. Yeah, he's still getting used to their totally different faces. It's only been a few weeks since the last Game so he still sometimes mistake one for the other. "Never mind. Look, you done here or what?"

"I repeat… what?" And being the infuriating Neku that he was, he didn't answer. She sighed.

Sometimes she still wondered how Shiki met this guy much more last with him. If Eri had a list of names which she thought her BFF would mostly likely befriend then Neku's name was virtually non-existent. Yeah, she knew how they met but believing it was another thing. She gave him a onceover. He doesn't seem the type to know anything about style either.

"You know, for someone who worships J&M so much, I didn't think you'd be the least updated in fashion." She droned on while browsing through the clothes. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were actually absorbing all those lectures me and Shiki drilled into you."

"That's because you did know better." He never did listen on those talks since they were pretty much one-sided. Neku was sure that Shiki knew this unless he already hadn't made it painfully obvious. He hated the subject. He hid his face in his muffler. In truth, it gave him a dark look. "I don't give a rat's ass about fashion."

"So why did you– "

"Why did I even bother?" His voice grew darker and if only Eri could see his face, she could've seen the morose gaze his eyes held. "It's not like I had a choice. I had to."

And for the briefest of moments, in his slightest movements, she finally saw his face. It was that of a boy who had seen as much as any man. Maybe even more. He wore a weary look that held more wisdom than his age. She didn't expect that clothes would evoke such an emotion in him. He was like a different person. His sentence echoed in her head.

"In Shibuya, fashion is survival."

_You're the last person I thought I'd hear that from._

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

**Shinra-ex-SOLDIER**

* * *

This had and would have (in the following chapters) some dark themes underlying it. It could be darker but I limited it since I've added Eri as an element. Why would I even use her in the first place? Well, the idea started with her getting to know Shiki's friends. Unlike in "**Saturday Sewing Sessions**" where they're all first meetings, this delves into character development.

Everyone's still coping after the Game. Next up are the Bito siblings. Heh, you ready?


	2. Fish are Friends

**Fish are Friends**

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

"So uh, why we split up wid Phones and Shiki?"

It didn't take long until Eri somewhat fitted into the small circle of friends Shiki had made behind her back. It made her happy and annoyed at the same time. To think that she finally made friends on her own but didn't tell her! Whatever her reason was, she'd forgive her and she'd patiently wait until Shiki was ready to tell her. Until then, she'd been enjoying this little unique circle.

And just like usual, she would hang out with them. With each hangout, they were getting closer to routine, at least to her. It came natural to them while she felt left out. But they were considerate like Shiki and always looked after her when they were together. They made sure that nobody not even her would feel left out. And while that was true, Eri had opted to split up today.

"Because, Beat." She's playing pink haired cupid today and these siblings were her accomplices regardless of whether they knew that or not. "That way we'd have more to talk about on lunch break." Eri winked.

"One learns from experience. Even from others'. We're bound to enjoy either way." Rhyme chimed. This was one of the reasons why having girls as friends was so much better than guys.

Beat scratched the back of his head. "Well if Rhyme's 'kay widdit then I'm cool."

"Great!" Eri clapped her hands in delight. That went smoothly faster than she had thought it would. Gotta thank Rhyme for that later. "Now, let's go. I really don't want to miss on the main attraction. Hurry up!" She broke off into a run.

"Bwaaah! How'd she walk so fast?" His arms went up and Beat fell into his comical pose.

"Not up for a race, Beat?" Rhyme giggled.

"Heck, 'course I am. I'm just pumpin' up." He smirked and already he was fuelled with energy. He was also loud. Like booming loud. "Yo, Eri! Wait up!"

On this particular day was a school field trip. And it was an unspoken rule that whenever there were trips like these, Beat would have Rhyme come with them. After all, why wouldn't she? It would be unfair to her to not join along the fun just because she was a few grades below them. And of all the places to hold a trip, today's was at the aquarium.

Humans were made for land.

"Excuse me, but where exactly is this main attraction?" Rhyme inquired. By then after the commotion their race caused, they settled for speed walking. Beat wasn't as enthusiastic with the idea.

"Man, can't they chill?" He sighed dejectedly. "Running ain't s'posed to be quiet."

"Ah, but we are supposed to be quiet. It's only proper to be loud if at the proper place." His sister commented and turned to their shared friend. "Is it a show of some sort?"

"You could say that." Her eyes glittered with mirth as she sizzled up a cryptic line. "Or you could say that it's one of those normal things that people just hype."

They were surrounded by water. Just like how you would say that the fishes were trapped in glass, likewise, the people were encased in their own aquarium of glass filled with air. A large shadow loomed above them and just when you thought it couldn't get any darker in the already dimmed room, it just did. Everyone held their breaths until the lights shone. It gave the illusion of the waters glowing all the more in such darkness. There were larger movements in the waters.

"There it is! Isn't this cool?" She almost squealed at her discovery. Eri excitedly pointed out a fin. "You could see them actually feeding the sh-"

The taboo word.

"We out."

There was this semblance of finality in his words that shook Eri. For the first time in her life, she was scared of Beat. She couldn't see his face but she didn't have to. Anyone even a total stranger could tell that he was brimming with anger. In all honesty, he was a truly frightening being in his current state. He grabbed his sister's wrist a little too tightly and strode out of the offensive room.

The glow of the lights was of a foreshadowing red. Red was the color of blood. Red was the color of that noise symbol.

Red was all Beat could see.

"Wait!" Eri thoughtlessly followed them since she was still startled by Beat's deadpan tone.

Rhyme tried to object. "But Beat, I didn't even get to see–"

"You ain't got to see nothin'!" He shouted with such a force that it was scary. Although Rhyme had instinctively flinched, she was not scared at all. Not when Beat was the most afraid of them all. "Just can it, will ya? It's just some stupid party trick." And he let go of her and forced a ghost of a smile. He needed to be strong. "C'mon, let's lookit sumthin' else."

He left, expecting them to follow, but they didn't. In fact, did he even remember that Eri was still with them? Probably not. All he had in his head was his sister.

The liveliest of the group of friends, Beat, felt dead inside. It was just too soon to face this. The first week of the Game haunted him. Just like then, he felt helpless now. He didn't want Rhyme to see it. He didn't want her to see him like this either. He knew he was weak but he hated it when the world kept pushing it right into his face. He just wanted to be a good big brother to his little sister. That's all. He yelled and ran off. The place was getting too cramped for him. He needed space.

Eri was left dumbfounded. She didn't realize that she spoke what she was thinking of. "What's up with him?"

"Big brother just needs to cool off. The mind works in strange ways." Rhyme spoke with such sadness that she didn't know she was capable of. "Sometimes we're afraid of something even more so than the actual person who experienced it." They were visiting an aquarium. She had prepared for this encounter. Sadly, she didn't account that her brother wouldn't be.

She was afraid to reply to that but she still tried to. "I guess that's just fear of the unknown."

"Ah, but how do you define the unknown?" She continued. "What if you saw it happen to someone else? There's no direct experience, only vicarious learning."

One learns from experience. Even from others'. We're bound to suffer either way.

At this point, Eri was questioning if Rhyme was really as young as they tell her to be. So much knowledge and understanding was bottled up in her petite body. It was just too much. "I don't think I understand."

"I don't think we're supposed to." Her smile was bittersweet. "Maybe I'm the weird one after all."

That sentence was totally out of place. "Is something wrong, Rhyme?"

"I was just thinking…" She was thinking of that same thing she's been thinking ever since the Game. She just hasn't voiced it out lately. "Is it possible that a person with no dreams exists?"

Eri blinked. That was unexpected. But if she were to be honest… "I don't see that happening. I mean, everyone has to have one, right?"

When Eri saw the look in her eyes, she had understood. As much as she had wanted to learn about these siblings, there were just some boundaries she wasn't supposed to step on. Because if she did, then she'd see these sides of them, and she realized that she didn't want that. These sides of them only brought pain and everyone near them would hurt as well. It was too painful. Her voice carried even her brother's sorrow.

"You're right. Such a person should not exist."

_You and your brother are the last people I'd want to upset._

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

**Shinra-ex-SOLDIER**

* * *

I just got home from Ozine Fest (Day 2) and the new people I've met, and the friends I've already met before but still met on that day (was that confusing?) are just awesome and good. So while I'm riding off this high, here's a new chapter.

I'm particularly proud of this one. I feel it had a good amount of angst.

We're halfway there. Josh's up next.


	3. Heavenly is his Face

**Heavenly is his Face**

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

"Hello, Shiki's friend. Where's the other half of the duo?"

There were only a few instances wherein Eri would have cravings. Okay, maybe some. Fine, lots. However, she may have weird cravings like ramen or shopping (yes, it's a legitimate craving) but never was coffee on her list. It wasn't technically a craving when you're in desperate need of it. She had stayed up all night for reasons she would not need to disclose so she was wiped out. The problem was that she still needed to keep up today. And while it was definitely easier to whip up a cup of coffee at home, it wouldn't taste as good as WildKat's.

So it was that Eri dragged her already falling asleep body all the way to the café only to find Joshua inside. Disappointment was an understatement. It was polite of him to greet her properly but couldn't he address her properly as well? If it wasn't too hard that is.

"Actually, I'm her BFF but I prefer just Eri." Really, was that so hard?

"Oh, please excuse me. Must've been a slip of the tongue." His voice was laced with mock sincerity. "And also, I don't think I did too bad. Surely you'd rather be called Shiki's friend rather than just Shiki."

Eri winced. That stung more than it should have. Finally, someone had the guts to say what everyone knew but was afraid to bring up. They kept mistaking her for Shiki. Even though they looked nothing alike and they've spent enough time to memorize each face, they kept mixing up their names more than standard. Shiki was surprisingly okay with it which made it all the more suspicious. They weren't telling her something. Maybe Josh could tell her…

Or maybe she's not thinking right. "I'm pretty sure I'd still prefer Eri."

"If you say so. Who am I to deny a lady's request?" He grinned smugly.

"Yeah, sure." She brushed him off. "Where's Mr. H? I seriously need a cup."

"Funny you should ask. He just went out." His was grin still intact.

"Out? Out to where?" This was not funny.

"He was about to fix me up when he brilliantly noticed that he's out of stock of coffee." He twirled one of his locks of hair. "I've been waiting ever since. If I were a critic then he'd already lost a star if not the entire review."

She must be really slow today because the weight of his words only sunk now. "Wait. So you mean the café isn't open?"

He held his chin in consideration. "Dear Eri, what ever gave you that idea?"

"But there's no CLOSED sign!" Her finger was frantically pointing at the entrance and the lack thereof a sign.

"There's no OPEN sign either." He nonchalantly pointed out.

"But then what are you doing here?" She accused him. Good job on getting her hopes up.

"Mr. H lent me the keys. After all, he owes me for letting me, a humble customer, come all the way here for an empty cup." His tone was laidback and carefree. A natural conversation leader. "Then again, I guess it can't be helped. He's got his own problems too so he's bound to forget a few things like say a bag of coffee beans."

Her shoulders slumped in depression. "How long will he be out?"

"For a while." He patted the chair beside him. "Please, have a seat. I don't bite."

"Of course not. You're more of the type who'd rather shoot with a gun since biting is too barbaric or unrefined." And on another note, she added. "You won't stab either since it's pretty messy. And what am I even saying? Gosh, I really need a cup right now."

If only she knew how dead right on her words were. Or maybe it was better that she didn't know. For now, Eri didn't have to know. There was just no need. The accuracy of her accusations were a bit eerie though. Was he that easy to read? Hopefully not. She hadn't earned the right to know of his true nature or his past actions concerning their friends. The less she knew, the easier it would be for everyone. Joshua was perfectly fine with this clueless Eri.

His smile had the faintest trace of malice. "You know me too well. Tee hee."

"You can be a prick sometimes, you know?" Then she added as an afterthought, "No offense."

The thing about the phrase "no offense" was that it's always said right after something offensive. How would you react to that?

However, while ordinary people would fret over how to react, Joshua had other things in mind.

"I know. I'm no angel." A switch had been flipped.

The mischief in his eyes had long since died. They were devoid of any emotion. No mirth not even a hint of remorse. Just empty. His smile was only a ghost of what it once was. Joshua was not a boy at this moment. He wasn't being an adult either. He was more than that. So much more that the burdens were equally greater. Exponentially greater. His soul was weary. The angels depicted in literature were kind and merciful. He was far from it. In fact, he could be cynical.

The sudden shift in atmosphere didn't go unnoticed to Eri. She was treading through perilous waters. She may be sleep-deprived but she still has her knack for cheering people up. "If it's any consolation, at least you got the looks down."

He humorlessly chuckled. "You flatter me too much."

"Too much? You give the impression that it's not enough." She joked. "And it's not like you going all angelic would affect the world."

Eri knew very well what Joshua was capable of. He was sly and smooth. He could be your friend or your enemy depending on his mood. But he was not necessarily a bad person overall. His intentions are good that much she could tell. It's only otherwise when it comes to annoying Neku. Joshua was complex like that. Even more so, he was a puzzle. There was always an air of mystery hanging around him like mist. Just like how his cryptic words fogged up her mind.

"Perhaps not the world. However, Shibuya would probably be a better place if I acted like one."

_You're the last person Shibuya needs to change._

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

**Shinra-ex-SOLDIER**

* * *

I tried but the Bito siblings chapter will always be my best. This was trickier than I thought. It's tough to be a Composer.

Last one up, Shiki!


	4. Green with Envy

**Green with Envy**

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

"I already told you."

They both want different things that it's just sad, tragic even. It has been a long while since they talked like this. Almost fighting. _Almost. _Sure, they fought a lot and it was only natural but they only did so when it came to clothes, designs, and sometimes, even The Prince. But they weren't anything serious just the usual clash of opinions. They were just passing heated arguments. This time however was different. They were _almost _fighting because of the same reason again just like last time. They were _almost _fighting because… because of _Eri._

The last time they fought… it didn't end well. At least, according to Shiki's memory. To Eri, she just knew she regretted it with all her heart and apologized the next day.

The next day turned out to be after three weeks for Shiki. Eri never knew that. And maybe she never would.

For a different reason but ultimately the same person, they're _almost _fighting again. Eri has been curious lately. Maybe not just lately but ever since. There's something selfish in wanting to know your best friend's friends and at the same time, there's something selfless in being concerned about your best friend and her newly found circle of friends. She's bonded a lot with them but there's just something off about them. She feels as if Shiki's bounded with them due to darker reasons she can't quite put. And sometimes, for the briefest of moments, Eri had imagined that bound to be shaped like a noose.

"Yeah, but there's something you're not telling me." She was getting tired of these games.

"Like what?" Shiki nonchalantly deflected.

"Like how you met. I mean, yeah, so you met in this _Game_ but you haven't given my any details on what exactly it was about." Eri crossed her arms. She was pushing it was better to get it over and done with rather than having herself keep bringing this up.

"But that would break the confidentiality rule." She bit her bottom lip as she prepared her follow-up argument. "It's kind of like Truth or Dare. What happens in the circle– stays in the circle, ya know?"

Actually, it was more like Truth _and _Dare. Some Reapers would ask the truth in trivia. Most Reapers would dare them to finish tasks. The Game Master would dare them to accomplish the mission. The Game itself asked for the truth in them.

The truth in partners. The dare in noise.

But Eri would never know of this. To Shiki, she hoped she'd never do find out. What she went through, although rewarding, was risky. Shiki was lucky she had met with great friends to pull through it all but there was always the looming risk of staying dead. And losing your entry fee. Forever.

Sometimes, Shiki didn't know which was worse.

Her eyes were reminiscing and glazed with sadness. She looked so frail and… innocent no more. Like a soldier coming home from a war. "There're lot of things that could happen in one Game that we aren't proud of. But that goes the same to everyone else who's playing it."

"Shiki…" She wasn't sure anymore what she wanted. Wasn't this the whole reason for bringing the topic up? Eri could feel that she's getting closer to the whole truth. But at the same time, it was hurting her BFF. She strengthened her resolve in the comforting thought that Shiki needed this as well. All that bottled up emotions couldn't be healthy. She needed an outlet. "I get your point but the confidentiality rule isn't written in stone."

The corner of her lips lifted lightly. "It's not supposed to be. Everyone just knows and does it." She stretched for a bit and understood that she won't be finishing anything today while Eri does her questioning. With her back facing her BFF, she started cleaning her workplace. She didn't stop even when she spoke softly. "Hey, do you remember our last serious fight?"

Eri winced. How could she not? It was one of her biggest regrets in the world. "Yeah… I'm sorry for ever saying that. If only I hadn't been so slow and just said that you were a great seamstress or if only I had just worded it out better or if only–"

Shiki chuckled. "Eri, it's okay. I'm partly at fault too. If I actually listened to you instead of running out the first chance I got, things would've turned out… differently."

Differently? Not _better_?

"I think it would've been better." Eri voiced out.

"I'm not so sure about that." She clenched her fists and turned around to face her. She needed to do this. If she doesn't then that just meant she's still not over her issues. And she's over them that much she's sure. She's been over them since Day Six. Nervously, she drew her breath. And spoke with surprising calmness. "I was jealous of you." Even envious.

"But Shiki!" This conversation wasn't supposed to go like this. This was supposed to be about her new friends and not them. She had to stop this.

Shiki shook her head. "Let me finish. We made up the next day but that wasn't the reason of how I got over it." She held Mr. Mew closely. "I met Neku right after the fight." In a different time, place, and ground (dimension).

"You what?!" She exclaimed. "I'm sorry but that sounds suspicious! He didn't take advantage of you or anything?"

"Him? Nah, far from it." Her eyes shone with laughter but her voice held no hint of it. "I _accidentally_ got into The Game. Neku and I were partnered and boy, was he stingy about it. He wanted nothing to do with me."

It was weird how easily she could twist the truth.

"We fought a lot. He was pretty hard to work with." And on the Day Two, he tried to kill her. It scared her but she knew he was terrified as hell too. He had no memories and was suddenly thrust into some crazy Game. He jumped at the first chance of getting out. At least Shiki knew what she was playing for. But then again, at least Neku knew his values. "I only got over my jealousy issue because of Neku."

And Eri thought, there she goes again. She's not saying some things and she's hiding the rest.

"I'm me. My own person." She giggled for the first time since the heavy conversation started. "Although he was rude about it, I'm pretty sure he meant well."

"When is he not Mr. Grumpy?" Eri chipped in.

Shiki laughed a bit and then turned somber. "But I wasn't kidding on him helping me out. I changed. If you only saw me, I was really scared to show my face to you again. You could say that we wouldn't have made up if Neku hadn't got to me."

"Isn't that a bit, I dunno, much?" She grimaced but quickly gathered her bearings and spoke with confidence. "Yeah, it was a pretty bad fight but I'm sure we'd still get back together."

Her smile was sad. "Who knows?" Envy was a green-eyed monster or in her case, a green-dressed girl.

That vague answer was the most terrifying thing Eri has ever heard throughout this conversation. As her BFF, Shiki should have answered with more certainty like fervently agreeing with her. But her answer was the least bit comforting. The ambiguity was laced with Eri's fears. It honestly scared her. Just what exactly did she mean by that?

But what hurt her more than anything was the fact that she wasn't there when Shiki needed her the most.

It wasn't her but Neku who picked up the pieces. It was Beat and Rhyme who helped keep them in place. And Joshua probably schemed it all or something since he's sly like that. And where was Eri during all this? She was at home having second thoughts on texting Shiki or not.

As an afterthought, Shiki added. "I met Beat and Rhyme sometime after. We teamed up for a while. Oh, and Joshua knew Neku first. Everything ended well since we won The Game and all." Neku won it thrice though even though he kept saying it was just twice since Josh technically got the last one.

That just basically summed it up in a nutshell with lots of holes.

"Okay, I give." Eri sighed in defeat. "If I'm gonna get any info it's definitely not from you."

"Sorry, I've been pretty vague haven't I?" Shiki embarrassingly admitted and even Mr. Mew had bobbed his head in agreement. She's been pretty obvious too.

"You think?" She huffed. "But I'm kind of jealous. At this rate, _who knows _what else you're keeping from me that your new circle has tabs on?"

It was only a joke… or rather, it was supposed to be one. It finally dawned to Eri the gravity of the situation. No matter how little she knew about Shiki's friends, maybe she knew even less of Shiki. Because right now, Shiki looked like nothing of the best friend she knew. She's still timid yet confident but with an all-encompassing maturity.

She's changed.

It was like she was a different person but still the same Shiki, only she was better. She changed for the better. All this happened outside of Eri's watchful eye.

That's why she can't help but be a bit jealous.

But above that, she's proud of her. Shiki went through something during The Game and although Eri couldn't tell what exactly it was, she could clearly see the effects. Shiki brought with her an extra weight of sadness with the experience but it was worth it because she brought new friends along with it. Whatever Shiki went through for this transformation, Eri figured that she'd get her chance to learn it someday. For now, Eri listened on to Shiki's words as she would place all her faith in them.

"Eri, you're the last person who should be jealous. After all, my BFF knows me best."

_You're the last person I'd hate to know the least._

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

**Shinra-ex-SOLDIER**

* * *

****Compared with the rest, this one's a bit more hopeful and less dark... hopefully.

Attendance check: that's all of them. **There's another chapter? **I wonder what that's all about.


	5. EXTRA: Who to Trust?

_EXTRA: _**Who to Trust?**

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

"The culprit is you!"

Neku dramatically pointed out the suspect-turned-culprit.

It was a scene plucked straight from a detective anime or mystery novel. The cliché pose that's been overused has now come into the spotlight yet again. Only this time, in the Sakuraba's home… by Neku himself.

The noise were probably taking over the Real Ground as of the moment.

"Oh, woe is me." Joshua said condescendingly. "How long did it take for the sharp ginger to figure it out?"

"Prolly not much. Just get off his case, yo!" Beat rubbed the back of his head. Even he was getting tired of the hoops they were still into. "Ya always say it's prissy. Ain't got proof dis time too, aight?"

"That's because I don't need proof." Neku's eyes narrowed. He would not let him get away this time. And could you blame him? Given his experience with him, he probably shouldn't have him here in the first place. Right, Neku lost at the moment he let Joshua in his house. "You're the most suspicious of us all!"

"But he's always suspicious to you." Shiki objected. Really, Neku could figure out mission mails level-headedly but would always be unreasonable when it came to Joshua.

"It can't be helped. Dearest Neku has some issues. _With me._" He purposefully stretched out the last sentence. He smiled coyly. "We'll talk it out later. Just the two of us. In the bedroom."

And this accusation suddenly turned into a one-sided conversation of total bullshit. That was total euphemism of it in Neku's eyes. Joshua just started the whole scandalous affair talk which was totally untrue.

Really. Stop doubting Neku. Just. Stop.

"That sentence is wrong in so many ways." His hands were on his face. Frustrated wasn't enough to describe what he was feeling. He actually growled. Freakin' growled. "So help me or I swear I'll punch you in the face."

Fun had so many forms. "Now, now. Don't get too excited." Joshua slyly chuckled. His fingers held his chin appreciatively. "I prefer that aggressive side of you… in bed."

The mental image it bore was more effective than any imprinting.

"Man, that's just sick." Beat grimaced in disgust. He wanted out of this whack.

"Umm, could you like not do that in front of us? TMI much?" Shiki profusely looked away.

"I respect that you think I'm old enough to see this but please do respect the idea that I may not want to see it. Some secrets were meant to be untold." Rhyme closed her eyes although it was too late. She cannot unsee.

At least Neku wasn't the only one against the idea.

"Thanks for the moral support, guys." He rolled his eyes and then crossed his arms. "Can we get back on pinning Josh– not _that _way– for being the criminal syndicate?"

"I'm not the one putting words in your mouth." Joshua shrugged.

Rhyme was the first to back up Neku. "If he really insists then shouldn't we give it a hearing? Trying and failing, is better than not trying at all." There was this sparkle in her eyes that seemed off.

"I think Rhyme's the only reasonable person in this room I'm with her." Shiki's instantly at her side. They smiled at each other.

"Count me in too. Phones' prolly bluffin' but I know the girls ain't." Beat pumped his fist.

This was it. Although Beat's assistance was a bit forced, Neku would take what he could get. He smirked in victory. Today they were in his home territory. Today he would win.

Joshua's voice fell out of its usual laidback tone. "You're digging your own grave."

"Not unless I'm right." He answered smugly.

"Fine. But there shall be consequences." His eyes narrowed briefly and just as soon, his default personality came into place. "I'll be collecting the spoils later, Nekkun." He clapped his hands. "Alright, so since dear Eri's not here, we're short of people. So I'll be playing God, tee hee."

"Yeah, we got that when we started this." He groaned.

"Patience mere mortal." The Almighty tutted. In a more cheerful than appropriate mood, he asked for a show of hands. "All in favor of kicking me out?"

Everyone but the Divine had their hands raised.

A phone was snapped open. He mocked hurt. "I'm sorry, Joshua or otherwise known as me, but as of 2:49 P.M. you are dead." He held out a small folded piece of paper from his pocket. "I'm sorry…" He unfolded it to reveal– "CITIZEN."

That was last thing you wanted to hear. Of course, that depends on which side you're on.

Unless you're familiar with this little game it's called _Mafia Wars. _There is a group of people with a monitoring god as arbiter. Everyone would either draw slots or the god would assign which role each person would play. Either you're a _citizen _or a _mafia._ The mafias would always be less than the citizens but there's a catch. They have the privilege of knowing each other while the citizens are clueless. The mafias will play pretending to be citizens. The goal is to convince the majority to vote out a suspected mafia. However, since the mafias know each other, they could trick the majority into a consensus of voting out a citizen. The game ends when there's only one left from one party.

How do you convince people? Most of the time, shouting.

"Bwaaah!? Yo, he ain't no mafia!" Beat belted out.

"Obviously not. Be grateful I'm a forgiving god or else I'd be enforcing divine punishment." Joshua huffed. Way to state the obvious as always.

"Then that just means…" Rhyme thought out loud. "Neku's our guy."

All eyes were on the new suspect.

"What?!"

"Well you kept on insisting it was Joshua." She reasoned.

"Yeah, kinda desperate back there." Shiki agreed.

"Hold it right there. I got it wrong. Everybody makes mistakes." Neku argued back. He was desperate back there? He was desperate right _now. _"C'mon Beat, back me up!"

"Sorry, man but I ain't diggin' your s'cuse." He looked away.

"I'm innocent, I swear! If I die then the mafias win!" He slammed his hand on the ground. This was not looking good for him.

"Do you have proof?" Rhyme innocently asked.

"Proof?" Gears inside Neku's head turned and clicked. "Wait a minute. You! You're the mafia!" He pointed at her defiantly.

"Really, Neku? You're just pointing at anyone to pass the suspicion." Shiki brushed him off.

"I'm not! Wait up. You're with her?" His eyes widened at the discovery. That's it! They were the criminals. If he could get Beat to work with him then one of the girls would have to act clean and betray the other. "Beat, I've found them out. We could still win this. You just gotta believe in me."

"Dis is all so messed up." He honestly looked confused. "Whatev'r, man!"

There was a clapping of hands from the dead guy. If only he wasn't god then they would've bickered on.

"I think we have a debate here. Now let's see a show of hands. All against Daisukenojo–"

"Bwaaah! Not cool!"

"You got the wrong Bito!" Neku hollered.

"For Rhyme, then. Hands, please? Or rather, just one hand." It was just Neku's. Joshua smiled sweetly. "All against my sweetheart?"

"Shut up!"

The rest of the crew of the living, aside from Neku, voted. A phone was opened again. "As of 3:00 P.M. Neku Sakuraba is dead." The redhead held his paper unfolded. Everyone tensed. "I'm sorry… citizen."

And with that, the mafias claimed victory.

"Yay! We totally won!" The girls jumped for joy. Admittedly, it was an easy win.

"That was a close one though. For a second, I thought Beat would turn us in."

"Shit. I di'nt see that coming." Beat's shoulders slumped.

"No shit, Sherlock. Told ya. If you just listened to me then it could've saved both our asses." Neku glared venomously.

"Yeah but you killed prissy, Phones."

"Beat has a point, Neku. You still owe me for that."

"We're all gonna get the penalty anyways. How come I'd get extra?"

The guys fought on. It wasn't even a proper fight. Joshua kept spouting innuendos. Neku was raging. And Beat was… just shouting. It was actually tiring to watch them go on like that. Pitiful, even.

"They're totally ignoring us even though we won."

"It's okay. We all had fun." Rhyme giggled. "By the way, Shiki. How come Eri couldn't make it?"

Her brows furrowed. "I dunno. She texted me that she was there like ten minutes before time but the next text I got said something came up."

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_Eri's Encounter_

"This isn't funny."

It's official. Eri was now a man. An ugly looking man. The moustache so did not work on her.

She's ditched the gang all of a sudden that even she's surprised. But then again, what was more surprising was her reason. She was in the area so she figured she might as well head to Hachiko earlier than scheduled. There was a box when she got there. There was no name nor address on it. The freaky thing was that nobody seemed to care or notice it. And being the curious girl that she was, she thought that one little peep wouldn't hurt. It's not like she'd actually bring it home.

But she did eventually take it with her because…

In it was a pair of nose glasses. The said accessory was on her displeased face right now. In fact, it was a stupid idea to put them on at all. They were actually kind of offensive.

"These things were great like what? A century ago?" She sighed and slipped them off. Her eyes unconsciously went to the box.

There was still the issue of the rest of the contents.

The real reason which pushed Eri into bringing the whole suspicious package home was still in it. She walked towards it and pulled them out. A bunch of papers– six to be exact.

The first page was disturbing enough.

_As is common knowledge, all __**Games**__ in the __**UG**__ take place under __**Our supervision**__. However, this particular Game is saddled with a nigh-unbelievable set of __**extenuating circumstances**__, catching the attention of the __**Higher Plane**__. Thus, I shall be taking a more hands-on role this time, as detailed in this __**report**__._

_The core __**differences**__ in this Game are as follows:_

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

**Shinra-ex-SOLDIER**

* * *

You could actually skip the** Mafia Wars** part. I just added that for laughs. Well, it's _not_ like it's _understandable_. You'd have to had played the game to get it. Note that I used the word "extra" instead of "omake". Hinting. Also, since this is done, I'll be completing **Soundtrack **before I start any new series. You might like it too. I hope.

Here's a shoutout to **AdvanceStrat** who helped me in _every chapter_ by acting as a proofreader. Thank you dear friend.  
This is a teaser for what I should do next. I'll be working on Eri and the Secret Reports which is AdvanceStrat's idea so I'm hoping to do it soon and right. At least that's what I had in mind. I underestimated the intensity of advanced summer classes. So I'll try working on it after that, please be patient.

To Persona 3 fans out there: well if you're reading this then I assume you're TWEWY fans too. Awesome! Now, in regards to the P3 movie (which is the game divided into three movies or so I heard) I have some disappointing announcements. Minato Arisato has been renamed to Makoto Yuki. With all due respect, it sounds like a girl's name (BlazBlue people, you with me?). Other than that, moving on.

_To everyone who read especially those who favorited and/or followed but more importantly those who reviewed. Thank you. This fic has been warmly welcomed. Paalam!_


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